Beijing, Jun 12 (IANS): The city of Qingdao in China's Shandong province has adopted a new policy which will allow people to keep only one pet dog and register the animal for 400 yuan ($59).

The new one-dog regulation, which took effect on Monday, also prohibited 40 big breeds, including mastiffs, German Shepherds and St. Bernards, reports the People's Daily.

"An eligible dog should get a rabies vaccine and a license, and have an electronic chip implanted during the registration process," said Zhao Jun, an official at the Qingdao public security bureau.

The electronic chip, which is implanted under the skin of a dog's neck, stores information about the animal, its owner and the date of vaccination.

Registration work will start on Thursday.

Zhao said dogs have become a serious social problem as increasing numbers of city dwellers are keeping them, the People's Daily reported.

"Pet lovers and those who don't like animals often have disagreements, and some dogs negatively affect the city's environment and people's lives...The regulation came out after the consideration of opinions of experts, officials and residents."

The new regulation allows owners six months to register their dogs. After that, the authorities can take action against violators, including imposing fines and confiscation of animals.

Dogs registered before the new regulation are not affected.

Qingdao is not the first city in China to make a one-dog policy. In 2009, Chengdu, Sichuan province, limited households to one dog. Harbin, Heilongjiang province, prohibited dogs taller than 50 cm and longer than 70 cm.